Clutch



1 Oct. 5, 1943. A J. DORE 2,331,016

'- CLUTCH v Filed Feb. s. 1942 INVENToR ARTHUR J. Dose ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1943 .CLUTCH Arrthur'J( Dor, Chicago, yIll.;'a'.*ssigno'rto -Teletype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application February 5, 1942, serial No. 429,637

(c1. risa-53.1)

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to motion communicating instrumentalities and more particularly to mechanical clutch apparatus for communicating rotary motion intermittently kto a driven apparatus. Y

In the operation of start-stop telegraphreceiving mechanisms, a driving shaft continuouslyro- 1 tating at accurately regulated speed'andadriven shaft periodically connected to the driving shaft through the medium of lan instantaneously responsive clutching mechanism are provided.v In

order that the driven apparatus may be main.

tained in synchronous phase relationship with incoming line signals, it is essential that the movement thereof be'initiated coincident with` the reception of a'start impulse which is the first of ay series of impulses constituting a startstop permutation-code signal. Thus, the accuracy Vof signal transmission is critically dependent upon consistent or regular responsiveness on the partvof the clutch medium for con- I necting the constantly rotating drive shaft with the intermittently rotatable driven shaft '.for thereby maintaining phase and synchronism and for preventing false signal responses which would is associated with a driven contactk element through the medium of brous or other frictional spring tensioned ldisc coupling. yThe tension in vclutches of thistypemay be adjustable so as to efectfdriving engagement up to a certain point of resistance'beyond which the driven elementf` may be held against the efforts of the driving force and a controlleddegree of driving torque is .thus permitted. One ofthe effects of this type of clutch has beento induce local heating due to thefrictional engagementr between the elements of the clutch during thearrested condition of the driven portion. Then, too, Where vthe friction clutch members are subjected to greater spring tension an increased load is placed upon the driving motor during idle or clutch. slipping time requiring the use of large and more costly motors in order to withstand the strain of overcoming friction. due to thekclutch tension.y

As a result of heating, Atheclutch elements of this type of apparatus will' be caused to expand beyond their normal dimensions and to induce additional'wear betweenv the slip membersof the clutch so'thatnotwithstanding critical adjust- 'A ments that may have been established during the normal relationship Vof the elements, this wear results in greater slippage errceedingthat contemplated when making the' adjustments. In order-to minimize these wearing eiects, the size of` friction clutch elements are usually made larger than the dimensions `of corresponding positive clutch elements, lthereby enlarging the area' of wear or friction-engaging surfaces yand also overcoming, to a certain extent the delayed pick-up of the driven members due to their own inertia. f l

Another inherent drawback of the friction clutching apparatus is that the motor load during` idle time is high, compared to the maximum useful load. rThis necessitates a large motorand low power eiicieney. The use of a positive tooth clutch, however, introduces a differentv element of difficulty because the size of the engaging elements between the driving anddriven portions of the clutch must be large enough to carry the shock loadsimpos'ed on them iny order-to have vsufficient .strength to withstand the strain under `which. clutches of thistypejare operated. This difculty, resulting from V the size of these elements, is that theV variationinathe time required.V

for engagement of the clutch is appreciable, beiing approximately equal to the time for the driving member to advanceA one step. On the other hand, when the teeth are .reduced iny size to minimize the angle between consecutive points ci engagement between the elements of the clutch, then the teeth may be of insuicient size to withstand the strain and wear incident to the 'operating conditions under which clutches of this type are expected to perform `r'iccordingly, the principal object of the present invention is tor provide a kpositive clutch mechanism adaptable for, kuse with'printing telegraph Yap;f.aratus having a considerably greater number of radial positions off/engagement than the num-` ber of engagement elements provided by one of the clutch coupling members", and having means,

-todefinitelylocate the starting position.

In order to overcome the diiyiculties previously mentioned, there is proposed: herewith a` principle of clutch design availing of the strength advantages of relatively large teeth elements in the driving or driven members of a clutch assembly,

Abut utilizing a plurality of' engagement` teeth in the other ofthe driving or driven elements having ayrelative staggered relationship sothat the -manner of Fig. 2;

the clutch is comprised of a ratchet wheel of.v

sufficient width to 'accomodate .transversely a plurality of pawls which are carried on a com-` mon pivot integrally associated with the driven element of the clutch. Individually acting springs urge each pawl into engagement with the periphery of the ratchet wheel, and while the teeth of said ratchet wheel are of substantial size.

CII

' single electromagnet reference character H designates generally a sword and T-lever assembly unit which functions to interpret the incoming code combination signal impulses that are received by the l2 into corresponding movements of a set of code bar selector members, such as those designated 38 in the referred to U. S. PatentNo. 1,745,633. The points of connection between unit lland' the code bars 38 are represented by the T-lever extremities 3l (so designated in the referred to patent).

The T-levers 31, of which there may be five or six depending upon the fundamental permutation. code employed in the particular apparatus,

and cut parallel to the'axis of rotation, the en.-

A the overall diierence between the `shoulders of the first pawl and that of the most remote pawl therefrom equal in distance to somewhat less than the length of a tooth on the ratchet wheel. Abutment lugs integrally associated with the pawls arel formed so as to be in transverse alignment with each other, and during the course of rotation of-the assembly, these lugs encounter a zero positionwhereat they may be engaged by a stop gate which is rigidA orl unyielding during marking or with-current conditions .of the line magnet but which is mildly spring-urged and readily yieldable to the force .of the severalabutment lugs during spacing or no-current conditions of theline.. i

In4 this' way there is vobtained a greater number of radial positionsy at whichA the driving and driven portions of the clutch apparatus may engage than hasy heretofore been possible under conditions of positive' tooth clutch apparatus 'adaptable to tel'egraphic instrument. operation. Also, there is provided a latch for definitely loeating the driven portion of thel clutch assembly in its arrested or zero position and preventing reverse rotationA following' the disunion of they clutch elements, in order to avoid anr oscillating condition between. 'engagement and disengagementwhich would result in a variable start posixtion.

:For a more comprehensive understanding'of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing and to the detailed specification following hereinafter, in which like reference characters', designate corresponding parts throughout and' in' which;

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a portion of a selector mechanism rof a type'now well-known in the art of printing telegraph apparatus and particularly illustrated in U. S'. Patent No. 1,745,633, issued February 4, 1930v to S. Morton et al.;

Fig; 2- is an explodedperspective view of a positive. tooth and ratchet clutch engagement apparatus having embodied therein features of *the present invention;

Fig. 3v is a side elevation of a clutch mechanisrn and distributor cam assembly after the IFig. 4 isa fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus featured in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 Vis an. enlarged detail view of the ratchet wheel and multiple-pawl couplingfelement's featuredain the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 4. A

"In Fig. lof the yaccompanying drawing, the

are positioned ,bye set of swords, of which a foremost. oneile is visible in Fig. l in one of two alternative positions, the other position being opposite from that shown and in contactual engagement with the left side stop pin i4.

The set` of swords I3 is held by a correspondinge' set of levers .(niot.v shown). eachcneaof which is actuated. by anindividual cam projection; on the ca'xn.A assembly sleeve l5.' It to be. understood that: the conventional. arrangement; of cam projections on assembly 15 andthevnumber of such..projections is; dependent; upon the particularpracticeand; the'nature of the. apparatus totbe` supervised.v f

'Ihefsetof swordsy i3` is positioned `when each is successively brought into engagementwith an armature.I lever. I6', and this operation `is performed;- cyclically when the cam assembly l5 is released: for rotation.: f 1

Normally, however; when no signals are being received,.cam assemblyv I5 is maintained dormant and a. zero position because its arm Il, which is carriedin a. slot 26- of ring 25,encounters' an obstruction element which, inthe instant embodiment,4 is' involved in theoperationof anl improved clutchapparatus now tobe described.

- It is: to be noted that shaftsl is,` continuously rotatable in a. clockwise direction, as observed in and that thisV shaft corresponds with the designated 2fl( in the S. Morton 'et' al. patent referred' toabove, which is'driven by a `motor through a drive piniontherein designated 23; iIntegrally associated with said shaft I8 is a threaded1 head' flange lfsuhaving'a reduced portion 2|, slotted as at 22, and screw'threaded as at 23 forv Vinterlocking association. therewith of the "ratchetfwheel 24. J ournaled freely upon the re- .formation 28, which,"` together with the projection 26., affords bearing openings 29 for a pivot 'screw' 31', and` a. lug vformation-32 that affords an anchorage Vto Aa* .multiple-leaved tension spring 33. I f f K Ratchet'wheel 2k is a. relativelywide member and fi'tsi teeth are shaped to engage. abuttingly, when the wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction, the teeth of a setof pawls 34, 35, 36, and 38.

Each ai theaforedescribed pawls is pivoted upon the journal screw 3l., describedabove, so as to be rotatable upon an axis parallel tov the driving shaft.l I8 and each is tensioned in a clockwise direction by one-of. the levers of spring 33. However, the engaging' teeth of said pawls` 34, 35, etc., which are as large as those o f ratchet wheel 24, are of different. radial'v distancesy fromsaid axis of rotation with the topmost. pawl 34 illustrated as having theshortest radius,.and the lowermost pawl 38, the longest. By observing the comparison illustrated in Fig. 5, it Willbe noted'th'atthe difference in length of the several rpawls as thus explained, does not exceedl the angular' distance between consecutive teeth of' ratchet kwheel 24. Accordingly, when driving engagement is effected between anyone of the teeth of ratchet wheel 24 and one of the pawls 34, 35, etc., this connection is had to the exclusion of engagement between any of the other teeth of said ratchet wheel and any of the other pawls 34, 35etc. Also, but one pawl, 34, 35, etc. may at any time engage any one oi the teeth of ratchet wheel 24 to the exclusion of the others. Through this arrangement of coupling members'the sizeof the teeth of ratchet wheel 24, as well as those of the pawls 34, 35, etc., may be maintainedcomparatively large, Whereas'the number of angular positions at which engagement may 'be' eliected beg tween any one of the pawls and said Wheel 24 is the same as that` obtained by the use of asingle pawl where the size of the teeth in ratchet ,wheel 24 is but one-fourth (in the instant example) of the size of those on said wheel 24.

Thus; there stronger coupling engagement, due to the larger dimensions of the engagement' elements while yetavailing of a greater number of angular engagement positions. Each one` oithe pawls 34, etc.is provided witha radially-extending lug 3Q, Fig. 2,` and these several lugs are disposed in vertical alignment with each other and inl horizontal alignment with a blocking shoulder4I of a stop gate member 42 which is pivoted upon a shoulder screw 43 carried by an orientation plate 44.

Stop gate 42 is normally urged by a spring 453 to assume an extreme. clockwise position, vas viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, so that its Ystop lug 4I obstructs the passage of the pawl projections 39, but it is toy be understood that the force of spring 4I! is insuicient to overcome that of any of the several tension leavesoffjspring .33 acting upon the several pawls 34, 35, etc'. Consequently, spring 4l! alone is unable to hold stop gate 42 in the designatedy position.v A latch arm 45y integrally formed with gate 42` and extendingy at anY angle therefronnse'e Fig. l, affords arightangle shoulder thatengages a corresponding `shoulder 46 formed in a bell crank leverk 41, Fig. 2

which is pivoted at 48 in a slotted supporting block 49. g r Y An opposite arm` I of leverl is engageable by one arm 52 of a bell 'crankA lever whose other arm 53 is disposed vertically, Figs. 2 Land' 3, and is engaged by a horizontal thrust pin 54. Pin 54 is slidably supported and bell crank FIZ-,531s pivotally supported within amounting block 55 carriedupcna stationary face plate 55 which is 'identiied with the orientation adiustment mech# 'anism more` particularly concerned in thel S.

Mortonetal. patent referred toabove. For an understanding of its application tothe instant invention it will sufce to know that librizontally movable pin 54 is thrust rightwardly,

Figs. 1 and 3, during the relaxation ci armature lever IG and in response to the restoration iniiuence spring 51. Also, it is of interest that `arm :52of bellcrank 52-53 terminates with a circu- Alar lobe and tha the point ci contactbetween f` this lobe and arm 5I of lever 41 coincides with the axial center of shaft I8' and the assembled elements featured in Fig. 2. Accordingly, upon the rightward movement of pin 54, bell crank 52--53 is rotated clockwise about its pivot, lever 41 is rois obtained a comparatively` Cil tatedcounterclockwise about its pivot 48,'*and tweenthe lobe of arm'52 and arrn5'I` oflever 41. v

Since, therefore, the relaxatior'iof armature IB'is identified with spacing l (no-current) impulses, and its energization with marking (current) impulses, itfwllbeunderstood that the freeing of vstop gate 42 by thewithdrawal of shoulder 4 6 is 'correspondinglyidentiable' with rriarkingv and spacing impulses. That-is, during idle and 'other marking conditions, ystop gate42 will be rigid and` will, when it encounters theprojections v35i,V with- `clrawpawls 34, 35, etc; andeffect avkdisun'ion between thedriving clutchelement" 24 and the driven clutch elements 34, 35, etc-J,A Vwhile 'coincident with spacing impulses, stop gate 42 will yield to `the projections -39 arldWyll itself rotate about 'pivot screw 43V until-the projections 39 have 'passeap v The' movement ci orientation plate -44 about itsfpiv'otalscrew 515 may be manually regulated byr-the-lo'osening of a knurledthuxnb bolt" 53 whicli'serves 'as' a means for binding vSaid plate44 iriajiy 'of it'ssetVA positions by clamping therigi'd mounting plate'55 between said plate `44 andan index arm B I ,fseealsoFigs l, 3` and4. Upon an 'other' pivot 'scr'ewil' lcarried byorientation plate "44, is supported' abellcranl levert/63 which is direction, as viewed-infFig. lfuntil its stop arm S5en`counters the spacing collar 66, carriedupon shoulder scre`w'43.v i K, Whenlbellcrank'is in this position, its oppositefavrrr'i'fivl, `provided with a latching 'shoulder`,`is disposed soas to encounter withA said that forms the severa' pawns@ gaat@ IBS ineens" 'of this arrangement mayfbe'seen inFig. 1 so `long ratchet-Wheel 24 is rotating clockwise land carryq ing with it the driven assembly, including pawls driven portionpf V.the clutch, ,comprising the 'pawls 34, etc. and theirpivot .screw,"3l, Ywill blearrested in the positions indicated ,in }Fi`g 1 land'willbe heldtheeat against reverse rotation;

that is, `in',.a' counterclockwise. direction`-when the Apin" extremity 53 encounters ...v-the., shoulder, of Aarms1 f .ithc'utcthis precaution, vthe driven assembly i aioredescribed, including also the `camk sleeve I5, `would roti el in a counterclockwise directionpdue to' the "pressmieofthe mum-leaved spring 33 against pawls 34, 35, etc. and the lever actionv l that carries signals. o o ,o 3. In av printing telegraph apparatus, a conofthe latter uponpin. 6.o. and; disc. 2.5., until-a lnaw-1V 3l, 35, etc. engages: a tooth;y ofv ratchet, Wheel 2.4 which then again rotates the` driven members Clockwise until the. paw-ls are disensalici-l. This.

cycle would recurcontinuously. until: a, spacing (no-current) impulse-released; stop gate.- 4-2.

not intended'l to be limited by thev particular language of the foregoing detailed specification nor bythe showing of lthe accompanying illustre,- tions except4 as indicated in thel hereunto appended claims. Y i i 1v. In a permutation code apparatus. acontinuously rotatable shaft, an intermittentlyrotatable shaft having a plurality of impulse distributing elements, each related to., an element., of; a permutation code, andzneansfor electing,l driving connection between;v said shafts comprising a toothed men-iberv associated with: said contini ously rotatable-shaft," a Series of' variablelength connector elements individually engageable by 'said member `and pivotally. associated with said intermittently rotatable shaft and. having dieet!- sagementlugs. disposed, in Atranswerse alignmenty with each. other,.mean`s for urging each of said elements into= engagement withsaid member, and

a device for interrupting the connection between `said member and any of said eleluellis macero position. comprising electromagneticallysupervised apparatus having concurrent engagement 2. In a. printing` telegraphapparatus, 'a tiuuously rotatable shaft, a permutation code .distributing member, and positive clutchI means for etectne engagement between said continuinlongitudinalalignmenn and a stop device having concurrent engagement with said engagement lugsof all of said engagement members.

4,. In a start-stopr telegraph receiver, 'a selector,

- a set offselector setting members, an assembly of ously rotatable shaft` and said member, comprising a'clutchv driving element` having a plurality ofv peripheral.teethr in concentric balance and associated with said continuously rotatableshaft, a clutch driven element having a. plurality of en.- gagement membersV 0I varying positions of A.engagement/with the periphery. of said clutch driving. member and 'stop gate engagement portions in transverse alignment. anda stop, sate having concurrent engagement with Sadjstop gate` engagement portions ofall of said elements simultaneously under the supervisionof incoming line tinuously rotatable 'drive shaft,` an intermittently rotatable vdistributing shaft, and positive clutch means for effecting engagement between Said drive shaft and said distributing shaft, 'comprisinga concentrically balanced driving element having a plurality of regularly spaced teethcara concentrically unbalanced driven element comprising a set of pawlshaving a plurality QI en cam projections corresponding in number to that of saidvr setting members, means forrotating said assembly of projections at a speed` commensurate with incoming telegraph signals so that each projection thereof relates to an associated one ofl saidf set of members coincident with a line signal impulse, a clutch for releasing said rotating means comprising a concentrically balanced and continuouslyy rotatable multiple-toothed driving member and a concentrically unbalanced driven member having a series of pawls disposed at incremental' distances so as to be individually associated with and to engage the teeth of said driving member to impart rotative movement to the said driven member, and a control member for concurrently engaging said pawls and for thereby disassociating said driving and driven members of said clutch, said control member having an adjustable zero position in order to vary the relationship between said assembly of cam projections andi said set of setting members.

5.. In a single revolution clutch apparatus, a concentrically balanced driving member having a plurality of regularly spacedV and radially disposed teeth, a driven member having a set of concentrically unbalanced pawls with portionsgfor engaging 'said driving member teeth and disposed at positions which are incremental divisions of the distance betweeny said teeth, a control device rloruerarrtivc to withhold and release said pawls in f .ing and ldriven members within a margin correspending to an increment of with, said integral lugs of said plurality ot vari- V4.5 able length connector elements. Y

diierence between the portions of said pawls.

`6.44. positive tooth clutch construction comprising a concentric driving member having coarse peripheral serrations, a driven member in axial alignment` withV said driving member, a set ofvr coupling pawls carried eccentrically by said 1drivenrnernbeneeh pawlhaving an engagement tooth corresponding in proportion to said coarse yperipheral serrations but offset from the teeth Ybe eiective to establislji coupling engagement between said, driving member and said driven member. l

'1.l A -cluteh `.0,rrmn'isi,ng a concentric driving 'coupler member having coarse peripheral serraried by said continuously, rotatable drive shaft,

tions,V a driven coupler member having a set of "coupling pavvls carried eccentrically, each pawl having an engagement element corresponding in vproportion to said coarse peripheral serrations but offset from each other by anV extent, fractional to said serrations, and a control device `for"simultaneously actuating said pawls to disengage any one of them that establishes coupling engagement between said driving member and said vdriven member.

. A ARTHUR J. DORE'. 

